Trucker A `Safe Driver,` But Record Was Flawed

The man behind the wheel of the Amerada Hess gasoline tanker that exploded at a railroad crossing on Wednesday had a state chauffeur`s license that called him a ``safe driver.``

But his driving record was not flawless, records show.

Vincent De Frange, 51, of Sunrise, died instantly when his truck got stuck in traffic at a railroad crossing on Cypress Creek Road as Amtrak`s Silver Star, bound for Miami, slammed into the loaded tanker.

``He was very careful that we know of and he had no obvious problems,`` said Carl Tursi, vice president of Amerada Hess. ``Believe me, if we thought he did, he wouldn`t have been driving that truck.``

Toxicology reports from the Broward County Medical Examiner`s Office indicated De Frange was not intoxicated at the time of his death.

Although De Frange`s Florida chauffeur`s license carries the ``safe driver`` designation, Department of Motor Vehicle records show four citations against De Frange`s regular driver`s license: